My problems with "Songs of Summer" is that many are cliche, and not very good. After reading your post, I thought of songs that make me think most of summer. Most of them blow. My list would have included Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime," and Seals and Crofts "Summer Breeze," but here are four decent picks and one AWFUL one.
"School's Out" - Alice Cooper
I'm a teacher, so this song, every June is the sweetest tune. One line specifically makes this song.
Well we got no class And we got no principles And we got no innocence We can't even think of a word that rhymes
That last line always cracked me up.
"Magic" - the Cars
This song brings me back to my junior high days. Such innocence and fun. Plus, Rick Ocasek walks on water with that awful mullet wig he wears.
"Doin' Time" - Sublime
The song has that slow lingering feel that you get on a humid, middle of the summer day. The main chorus is lifted from Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess." Plus, how can you go wrong when they sample a line from the Beastie Boys "Slow & Low"?
"Summertime Blues" - Blue Cheer
The 1st heavy metal song! Love the deep bass line. This version, the Eddie Cocharan one, the Who's, or even Springsteen's version all do the song justice. The best song about frustration when all your friends are having fun in the summer & you're stuck at a lame job working that night. I lived it.
...and the worst - "Summertime Girls" LFO
"I like girls who wear Abercrombie and Fitch..." Ugh the dumbest song to ever make money. I had a kid on the soccer team I was coaching try to justify this as a good song. I should have cut him right then and there.
"Boys of Summer" is not my favorite, but it has a good end of summer feel. I always liked the line about the deadhead sticker on the Cadillac." Billboard came up with their own list. Predictably, it is loaded with songs from the 60's.
"Steal My Sunshine" is a legitimately good pop song... Sure, it's bubble-gum, but it works.
ReplyDelete"Summertime" was Will Smith's earlier attempts at being serious and cool, as opposed to goofy and funny. And it still holds up, more or less.
Mungo Jerry will forever be Andre the Giant's gay brother after your post.